Vehicle.



R. H. RCE.

VEHICLE.

' APPLIGATIc-N FILED M5515, 1912,

L'Mw.,

` shown in -the gures,

to slide rearwardly, is opposed. lThe rear bracing straps 23, when thetop is raised and in use, prevent the door from moving backward on thepintle rods 11 as the straps are connected with the door sections. lVhenthe top is to be' lowered, the straps 23 are v G are then returned toclosed position so as to completely inclose the folded top.

The rear bows 24 of the top may be connected with the body in anysuitable manner, 'and if desired, a connecting means such as shown inFigs. 5 and 6 may for the tonneau type ofcar as well the runabout style.bows A of the top C are connected with the sleeve a which is adapted toslide on an arcuate or sector-shaped bracket b secured wit-hin the sideportions of the top-receiving chamber or receptacle c in the body of thevehicle, and attached to this sleeve is an operating lever B which isJiulcrumed at cl in line withl the center of curvature of the bracketZ). When the top is down, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the handle B ishorizontal and when the top is raised, the handle is thrown upwardly tocarry the sleeve a to the top portion of the bracket b, so that the topwill be supported at the proper' height, and it is obvious that when thetop is lowered and assumes the position a forward movement is impartedlto -the top,by reason of the sleeve a sliding on the bracket b so thatas the result/the compartment c in ywhich the top is stored need not beof such large dimension, as would otherwise be the case. It is to beunderstood that the brackets b, sleeve a and handle B are-duplicated onthe opposite side of the vehicle.

Another form of connection between the vehicle top and body is shown inFig. 7, wherein the' bracket b is in the form of a standard and theslidable member a is adapted to be clamped in fixed position by a setscrew e. The bows D of the top are as for n. connected with the slidea', so that the top can be raised or lowered on the standard by theslide moving up or down.. vYVhen the top is collapsed, as shown in Fig.7, the slide will be in its lowermost position while the top rests onthe bottom f of the chamber or receptacle c', and when the top israised, the slide a' will be closeto ythe top ofthe standard and held insuch position b the tightening of the set screwl e.

From-the foregoing description, taken in .connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and beemployed- In Figs. 5 and 6, theof the method of operation will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, and while I have described vthe principle of operation ofthe invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to bethe best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that theapparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may bemade when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I-claim as new is I1.y Thecombination with a vehicle body having a seat provided with a rakingback, and a receptacle in the body behind the said seat, and cover meansfor the receptacle, and hinges connecting the cover means with the. bodyand permitting the said means to be shifted rearwardly to clear theraking.

back of the seat as the cover means opens, of a cover or top mounted onthe body to collapse into the receptacleA when the cover means thereofis open.

2. The combination of a vehicle body having a seat provided with araking back, a receptacle in the bottom extending around the rear andsides or'l the seat, cover sections or doors for closing the receptacle,bars secured to the sides of the body, means for hingedly and slide/'blyconnecting the doors to the bars for permitting the doors tosliderearwardly to position to clear the raking back of the seatas thedoors swing open, and a cover or top mounted on the body to collapseinto the receptacle when the doors are open and to be covered by thedoors.

3. The combination of a vehicle body having a top-receiving receptacleat its back portion and a seat in front of the receptacle, with a topconnected with the body and adapted to be lowered into the receptacle,y'a cover for the receptacle, and means hingedly L slidably connectingthe cover with the beinginelined in a direction whereby the cover ismaintained close. to the said seat.

4. The' combination of a vehicle body having a seat and a top-receiving'receptacle behind the same, with a collapsible top adapted to belowered into the receptacle, a cover for the receptacle, hin ed meansconnecting the cover with the bodgy and permitting the cover to sliderearwardly, and top bracing means connected with the said top and withthe cover and serving to prevent the cover from moving from its properposition.

5. The combination of a vehicle body hav- Aing aseat and a receptaclebehind the seat,

the axis on which the cover swings' nottata andbracing `elements'betweenthe top and doorlsections and detachably connected with 'the latter.

'sides of .the seat, a top including bows, fixed members in thereceptacle, sleeves on the members andv adapted to occupy different lpositions when the topis in open and collapsed positions, connectionsbetween the sleeves and bows of the top, and handles I fulcrumed onthebody and connected with vmembe the sleeves for shifting the lsame vonthe said rs. y 7. The combination of a vehicle body having,` a seat anda receptacle extending along the rear and sides of the seat, xed arcuatebracket members arranged in the side portions of the receptacle and in avertical plane, members slidable on the bracket members, a top havingbows connected with 'thereof as the top is changed the slidable members,and handles fulcrumed on the body and connected with the slidablemembers for shiftin the position from operative to inoperative positionor vice versa.

8. The ycombination of a vehicle body, a top having bows, lfixed arcuatemembers on Vthel body, loperating handles fulcrumed on the body oncenters coincident with the center of curvature'of the said members,sleeves slidable on the members and connectedk with the operatinghandles, and hinged connections between the bows and sleeves. 4

ln testimony whereof` alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' RICHARD H. RICE.

Uupies of thispatent maybe obtained. for vc cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner o Patents,

Washington, 1l. tt

